Should We Pray in Tongues? #2

Today were going to address the question should we pray in tongues or not. I have three parts that I want to give to you to answer that question for you. We're so glad you joined us on the truth but with gone green founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is teaching God's people. God's word hi Bill, right, and we're continuing our series, the Holy Spirit today with part two of a message titled, should we pray in tongues last time God gave us the first of three points on the matter of private prayer language is not the gift described in the Bible today. Don will explain why such prayers are not supernatural, and in fact are not biblical prayers at all. So Fred have your Bible handed much join our teacher now in the truthful spiritual gifts are to be done for the edification's of of others in Paul's purpose here in these first four verses of chapter 14 is to show the prophecy was superior to tongues because people are beatified by he goes on and explains that if times are going to be exercised, there must be interpretation there must be interpretation look at first Corinthians chapter 14 verse 13, you have to read what Paul said at the beginning of the chapter and read it all the way through and read it for everything that he says not simply to highlight one or two verses that you can take twist a little bit and make it sound like what you're doing. That's not how we handle Scripture verse 13 he says therefore let one who speaks in a tongue. Pray that he may interpret the ideas is that that there is a tongue going on.

There should automatically simultaneously be an interpretation that is going on and if the interpretation is not there, the exercise of tongues is not the biblical gift goes on and he says that further in verse 27 he says if anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three and each intern and one must interpret but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church and let him speak to himself and to God.

What's he saying here. What's the point of this and how does it relate to the question, should we pray privately in times well as we saw last time the gifts are given to be used in edification of others.

If you're alone doing this. No one's being edified by the mode of the purpose of the gift is being violated if the biblical demand is for tongues to be accompanied by interpretation and you're speaking in a town, the so-called tongue that you don't understand your violating the principle of interpretation. Interpretation is being violated. Love is being violated by this practice is already denied, rejected, refused the idea of praying without understanding is already rejected that idea. In verse 14 chapter 14 verse 14 he says and remember verse 13. He said let one who speaks in a tongue. Pray that he may interpreter must be interpretation here so that we understand what's happening. He says verse 14 if I pray in a tongue, tongues are being translated my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. He says what is the outcome then what shall we conclude from that reality. What do we do with that. He says in verse 15. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also. I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. He says my mind if I'm going to pray. I'm going to pray in a way that my mind understands and I won't pray unless that's happening.

Pray with my spirit and all pray with my mind. Also he prays with his mind so that he understands what is transpiring as he speaks now that so much different than what is offered up as so-called private prayer in some charismatic circles their private times are not a known language. They do not convey truth they do not edify others when they're done alone and you start to realize all of the characteristics of the biblical gift of tongues from the book of acts, and through a thorough consideration of first Corinthians are not satisfied or not met by this practice that is so common in some circles today. Not a known language not done for the purpose of edification, not conveying truth, not engaging the mind while God demands that we worship him according to his truth that we worship him according to truth.

We can't just make something up on our own and go off on our own realm as our friend John MacArthur talk you know letting go too well for the two priests in Leviticus 10 who offered up unauthorized fire got sloughed them for not taking his holiness seriously and for offering him worship that was not authorized. This is very serious.

I do not believe that everybody that's doing that is giving voice to demonic spirits. I don't believe that for reasons that will become obvious and what I have, to say here and I also don't believe that there necessarily intentionally trying to deceive themselves nature. Deception is you don't realize you're deceived right you name or deceive you get out of it so I don't think that but I do want to give you some perspective here when you only see this thing being discussed or even practice in its own context. It can, it can seem a little bit intimidating. A concealable seem a little bit overwhelming. What is going on there. Maybe it is from God, and you start to, you know, your mind starts to go down that way. But when you put it into a broader context is letting what's going on at all. There something else that explains what's going on here. There's also another perspective here that I want to add a just give you some information to justify what I'm about to say right now. What's going on with a private prayer language. It is not supernatural.

It is not even uniquely Christian is not supernatural. It is not even uniquely Christian. There is a very valuable resource that I have in my library at salt since been updated with the new addition that I don't have access to at the moment, but the original book published by Zondervan is titled the dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements. It is a 911 page reference book on all things charismatic and Pentecostal. In this reference book describing speaking in tongues you find an extended passage. This is sad to me this saddens me to tell you this. It has a lengthy section describing speaking in tongues taking place in many non-Christian settings when I know that might not realize that and it lists setting after setting of the things this is not a cessation is reference book.

Not intending to defend the cessation is position to try to be honest and give you full information. What does it say it says that tongues are found among spiritual mediums, tongues can occur due to causes such as organic neurological damage drugs, psychotic disorders in the 20th century, tongues have been found in non-Christian areas, non-Christian parts of the world in Malaysia Siberia, Indonesia, China, Japan and Korea, among other areas that are not choosing to recite here the sounds of these so-called tongues range from mumble's and grunts through esoteric languages and imitations of animal speech beloved these people doing this and these things that they are doing are not even Christian.

They don't even pretend to be Christian and yet it models it follows exactly the kind of thing. The dynamics that you see going on in charismatic circles today beloved remember what we said about the nature of true signs biblical signs. They were real miracles. They were real things like real organic healings of men with with withered hands being healed visibly and in the presence of witnesses in an undeniable way the men were raised from the dead. In real, invisible and undeniable ways. The tongues were languages that native speakers recognized in the firm. We hear them speaking the word of God in our own and our own language and and then these are things that are supernatural belonging to the true omnipotence of God and God is able to give and did give signs like that to his church to certainly authenticate his revelation in a way that was incontestable to the unbiased mind incontestable to the unbiased mind. Are we to believe then that God's gift to a church today is a private prayer language that violates everything his word says about what real tongues were are we to believe that these private prayer language is supposedly from God mirror the very thing that pagans throughout the world are doing.

Where's the distinguishing mark where is the thing that says this is something that only the real God could do. Why would he give that which is counterfeit to his people. If it doesn't distinguish true Christianity from pagan practices.

Where's the distinguishing mark. This is old. This is where I can go. This is what I can follow if you're just going to follow the signs. You could write, you could run right into spiritual mediums.

If that's what you want to do. If tongues are the gateway drug to true spirituality. You have no promise whatsoever that you're going to end up in the truth. Why would God do that. Why would God put his church at such vulnerability to deception by giving them that which is mirrored in false religion. Why would he do that is a clue you wouldn't and he didn't now and so what is happening. Well another theologian that I really like Anthony Hoy, shows in his book. What about tongue speaking shows that simple psychology, simple psychology and simple operation of the human mind can account for much of the tongues activity that you see in other circles.

He says and I quote when one belongs to a group in which it is expected that those most advanced spiritually will speak with tongues when much emotional pressure is being applied in the pursuit of the gift of tongues spoken in tongues.

Why entries have you been seeking. It is a sin in your life Archie speaking in tongues great pressure put on vulnerable people when seekers of the gift are even told to loosen the tongue by saying Bob Bob beta beta and the like. If all of those things are true, it would be strange indeed if no one began to do what everyone was expecting the power of suggestion. Group dynamics the capacity of the human mind to act upon the human body and produce results explains so much. And if you're in a context where it's being affirmed, encouraged, told the saw and you're not being told the other side of the story and it's very easy to just get swept away with it all and assume that it's true and it's just the ramblings of the human mind having no true value of worship to God.

It's very sad it's very sad and so what we see is this normally I give the point before I explain it this time, I forgot, I will give you the point now so that you can go back and fill it in in your notes. The point is this is that this private prayer language idea is not supernatural. It's not supernatural. It has perfectly human explanations to show why it is happening and that is verified by the fact that it happens in many non-Christian circles. We underestimate the power of suggestion we underestimate the capacity of the human mind to produce effects that might otherwise seem inexplicable now, let's go to point number three that I that I think is the most compelling of them all personally.

Point number three and just to be clear. Point number two was a private prayer language is not supernatural. It is not supernatural.

Now that brings us to point number three. Thirdly, is this a private prayer language is not biblical prayer a private prayer language is not biblical prayer. Whatever else you think about the passages in first Corinthians. Whatever else you think about the social phenomenon and other places we have to come back to this preeminent point to is Lord, to us, Jesus Christ, right, and what he says to us is lost for us. It is the final authority for us, about who he is about the purpose of his death, about what we are to do with his disciples need I remind you that Jesus instructed us very specifically and how he wanted his disciples to pray with Matthew chapter 6 look at Matthew chapter 6 at the end of Matthew chapter 7 in verse 28 when Jesus had finished these words these words in the sermon on the Mount. The crowds were amazed at his teaching three was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Jesus match what he was saying this is it right from the lips of the Lord. And what did Jesus do, what did he say about prayer to his disciples, he said to them in verse nine he said using an imperative. He said pray then in this way, pray like this when you speak to God. Here is how I command you as my disciple to speak to him to address him. What follows you know, don't you. You notice the Lord's prayer our father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. What is he just told us to do. He is telling us, and he gives us things and says you pray in intelligent language to God. You you think about what you're saying and you pray according to these themes according to understanding informed by revealed truth. Our father which is in heaven.

I address you as my God, I know that you are beyond this realm, hallowed be your name. I worship you I praise you, according to the fullness of your revealed character.

This is the mind. This is not something senseless, mindless that you don't understand this calls forth the engagement of your intellect the engagement of your brain so that you are thinking about what you are saying to God that your worship would be real and informed by its intelligent language you say will okay the year you die. I all concede to that point. But you haven't said anything, there's nothing here that forbids the idea of a private prayer language. Saying things that I don't understand why can't it be both, and instead of either or well it's like Jesus anticipated the discussion. Look at verse seven of chapter 6, he says. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Should you pray when you don't understand what you're saying.

Should you pray in a way that is meaningless that you can articulate the meaning of it. Jesus forbids it says don't use meaningless words, the ideas of that the word has the idea of Babel to speak without thinking, idle talk movement of the lips without meaning without engagement of the heart, soul and mind. Don't do that says some of our charismatic friends say I've got a language I pray I have no idea what I'm saying and I said that's so sad you're missing prayer 101 from the lips of Jesus himself. The positive side, pray in this way the negative side, don't pray like that.

Besides, whatever happened to the greatest commandment. Whatever happened to the greatest commandment in this discussion. What Jesus said is the greatest commandment you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.

You do not turn off your mind in your love for God. You do not turn off your mind when you pray to him you to pray independence with understanding. So should we pray in tongues.

No, no, not at all you say but but it says in first Corinthians 14 says don't forbid speaking in tongues to which I say that's right in that time with the real biblical gift of known human language. Paul said don't forbid it when it's properly practiced in the church that has nothing to do with you calling your giraffe of prayer a dog has nothing to do with that. I agree with the friend of truth Community Church John MacArthur on tongues who said this and I quote he said the modern charismatic version of tongues consists of non-miraculous nonsensical gibberish that cannot be translated is a learned behavior that does not conform to any authentic human language. Rather than being used as a tool to edify the church. Contemporary charismatics use the fabrication as a private prayer language for the purpose of self gratification.

Though they justified their practice because it makes them feel closer to God. There is no biblical warrant for such unintelligent Babel. It is a false spiritual high with no sanctifying value. The fact that modern speaking in tongues parallels pagan religious rights should serve as a dire warning of the spiritual dangers that can be introduced by this on biblical practice."

Beloved, if your charismatic friends charismatic maybe some open the cautious guys that you follow in their teaching.

They talk to you about the tongues. Please understand something, I beg you please understand that you're not missing anything.

But there's nothing real there. There's no there there. Please understand and remember that experience will deceive you.

Please understand and remember that experience does not determine divine truth. End of sentence end of paragraph in the story.

Beloved, let the word of God guide you in life and prayer.

It will never deceive you. It is your only and sure guide as pastor Don Greene has reminded us today. Much like the other supernatural gifts biblical gift of tongues was ordained by God for a specific time and specific people, mainly believers in the first century church with the completion of the biblical canon. Such a gift is no longer necessary, so it's no longer in effect indecipherable babblings bear no resemblance to the real thing. Next time, Don will begin to look at prophecy as he continues our series, the Holy Spirit today here on the truth pulpit don't miss a moment. Right now Don's back here in studio with some closing words hi friend. As we close today. I just want to make something available to you, you know, as you listen to these radio broadcasts they have to fit into a 25 minute format were very grateful for the opportunity. The Lords given us to do just that. But the radio messages are born out of a longer sermon message that contains more information, more background a fuller explanation of the passage and what were able to do on radio so I encourage you to go to our website and find the link that says follow Don's pulpit that'll lead you to a podcast that gives you the full length sermons from every Sunday and every Tuesday from my pulpit. I really think that old minister to you over time to hear the full-length messages so we make that available for free and we would love you to join us in that way as well. Thanks Don and friend to take advantage of what Don just mentioned. Just visit the truth. Pulpit.com. Once again, that's the truth.

Pulpit.com. I'm Bill Wright inviting you back. As Don Greene continues teaching God's people. God's word